Blackjack (Project Horizons)
|race = Unicorn |sex = Mare |faction = Stable 99 (Security pony) Reapers (Gang member) |family = Gin Rummy (Mother) Hearts (Grandmother) Bridge (Great Grandmother) Royal Flush (Great-great Grandmother) Aces (Great-great-great Grandmother) Straight Flush (Great-great-great-great Grandmother) 52 Pick-Up (Great-great-great-great-great Grandmother) Full House (Great-great-great-great-great-great Grandmother) Little Poker (Great-great-great-great-great-great-great Grandmother) Tarot (Great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great Grandmother) Card Trick ( Great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great Grandmother Marigold ( Great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great Grandmother further spoilers |statusintro = Alive |statuscurrent = |image = Char - Blackjack (Stanwuuz).jpg |caption = Blackjack in her security armor. |eyes = Red (with radioactive glow) |mane = Red and black |coat = White |cutie mark = Ace and Queen of Spades }} '''Blackjack' is a white unicorn mare with a black and red mane, and is the lead protagonist in Project Horizons. She was once a resident of Stable 99 where she worked as a security mare. History Early History Blackjack (originally named Go Fish until she changed her name) was a security mare in the extremely matriarchal Stable 99, located near Hoofington. Her mother Gin Rummy was head of Stable security, a role that Blackjack was set to inherit due to Stable 99's hereditary job role system; as with all mares in the Stable, she grew up without any contact or input with her father, as colts simply filled a reproductive role in society. While she followed security detail, she wasn't the most competent at her job and spent most of her time wishing for something more exciting to do, playing cards, and chasing after Midnight. Throughout her time in the stable she continually felt her inadequacies compared to her mother and had great difficulty bonding with anypony due to the intimidating nature of her future role as head of security. At the beginning of the story she is shown suffering from anxiety about the state of the stable, specifically with regards to it's current condition and the possibility of another revolutionary incident; whenever her mind turns to such things however, she simply remembers the first rule of Stable 99: "don't think about it". She found and captured P-21, the latest male "breeder" scheduled to be euthanized after leaving her usual card game with the Maintenance department early. When the Overmare sold out the Stable and a program called EC-1101 to a group of raiders lead by Deus, she fought her way out to the Equestrian Wasteland with the program, aided by P-21, in order to draw Deus away from the Stable. Recent History Traits Appearance Blackjack has a black and red mane, a white coat. Her cutie is an Ace and Queen of Spades and she has a white spell aura. Her eyes (before she loses them) were contaminated by radiation, giving them a yellow, ghoul-ish glow during times she is irradiated. Due to her security barding, most ponies across the Wasteland recognize her as "Security", a name given by DJ-PON3. Her horn is smaller than most unicorns, something she is rather sensitive about. As a result of repeated exposure to Taint, Enervation, and Hydra, Blackjack became severely ill, causing the bones in her legs to soften (necessitating the use of large metal braces), small tumors to form on her skin and eventually the loss of both eyes and all four limbs. After succumbing to taint, Silver Stripe, with the aid of the Project Steelpony data that Blackjack had given her, was able to give her multiple cybernetic organs and limbs that saved her life. She was outfitted with a new set of synthetic eyes (similar to her old ones) and her legs were replaced with Steel metal limbs painted Matte white to resemble her hide, which notably included fingers, a feature implemented by Rover. Personality Blackjack is, according to herself, "not a smart pony". Just like Littlepip she has a tendency to dive headfirst into conflicts and often makes simple, sometimes nonexistent, plans. She often resorts to improvisation, which tend to end badly. While she has never shown signs of outright addiction, she is willing to turn to drugs to get an edge in combat (until they damaged her heart) and frequently turns to drink to cope with stress and depression; her preferred drink is "Wild Pegasus Whiskey", though she is more than willing to consume any alcohol when not within easy reach (once resorting to drinking rubbing alcohol). She also gets mane itches with varying degrees of intensity, usually preceding major events and/or combat. She habitually peeks into memory orbs, being curious of the 200-years-past Great War. She also suffers from agoraphobia, which she attributes to her upbringing in a stable (conversely, she has no problems with enclosed spaces). Blackjack used to allow the colours of the friend/foe tag of her PipBuck to guide her moral combat decisions (often saying "Red it's Dead. Yellow be Mellow."). Following several, notably traumatic, incidents, she changed her combat motto to "I don't want to kill you if I don't have to." She can be a very caring pony to be around and is willing to help anypony in need, though this instinct has been a bane on more than one occasion. The sense of shame she feels for getting innocents killed during her journeys also leads her to show genuine forgiveness to others who have done terrible things. Blackjack is very charismatic, being able to befriend a wide group of wasteland warriors. Oddly enough they all, herself included, have some sort of emotional problem, having been hurt or damaged in some way. This is commented on a few times as P-21 asks "Blackjack, are you trying to turn us into the deadliest band of angsty, whiny ponies to wander the Wasteland?" It has also been noted that one has to have attacked or injured her before joining her party, as every member of her band of ponies has done so. Blackjack is bisexual, as shown by her previous endeavors in Stable 99 (where she was considered lecherous even by the Stable's standards). She is in an intimate relationship with Morning Glory, but it can get shaky at times. She has also been with Stygius (partly for a desire for casual sex and partly to get over a traumatic attack on The Seahorse) and gained notoriety in Hoofington after broadcasting the fact using her Pipbuck, not realizing anyone with a receiver could listen in. After Glory heard the broadcast, their relationship went downhill, though was saved by P-21 and Scotch who explained the true nature of relationships and sex the three were raised with in Stable 99. She is haunted by the image of "The Dealer", which reminds Blackjack of all the wrong she has committed, preying on her guilt to torment her. His presence has grown to the point where Blackjack has openly conversed with him and mistaken her friends as the pale, straw-hatted pony, admitting to herself and her friends that she is a "little crazy". Her guilt for her actions (both before and after entering the Wasteland) is so great that she has suffered a mental breakdown on more than one occasion. Following one particularly devastating choice, she became suicidal and was only stopped from killing herself by the timely intervention of Watcher. Her mental state deteriorated considerably after undergoing cybernetic augmentation, as she feels she is no longer fully alive. She has been diagnosed as having a self-destructive personality by both the Happyhorn Medical AI and Doctor Octopus, as she continually pushes herself harder into more dangerous situations. All of these issues, and the affects they have had on her friends has lead her to admit that she is unstable and deeply hates herself. Abilities As a unicorn, Blackjack has access to magic. At the beginning of the story, her magic was weak, as she was only able to perform basic telekinesis. When out in the wasteland, Blackjack discovers/invents in the Magic Bullet spell which fires a powerful blast of magic/kinetic energy, eventually becoming as strong a shotgun slug. She independently learned how to cast a light spell and attempted memory spells with mixed results, leading her to believe that her lack of magical talent may be due to the poor education she received from Stable 99's teacher, Textbook. After practicing magic using a proper (if extremely basic) training book, she was able to cast a teleportation spell, however the few feet she was able to teleport caused her great strain; overtime she improves this ability however, able to teleport short distances despite hindrance from the great mass of her augmentations. Through practice and study she slowly discovers an aptitude for magic tricks, including garment/armour alteration, a leaky version of the rain shield, conjuration of door frames and casting the cloud walk spell. Overuse of her magic has caused her to loose the ability to perform even basic telekinesis at times and she lost the ability to use any of her magic for several days after her horn was chiseled off during an attack on the Seahorse. Her skills of Repair, Lockpicking and Science are dismal, but she is shown to have skill in picking locks with telekinesis. Her proficiency with firearms is significant (Small Guns is listed being 100 in a footnote by Somber), and she is capable of using almost every kind of gun except for heavier weapons. She prefers an "up close" approach to combat, as is evident by her deadly use of hooves, melee weaponry and shotguns. Blackjack uses a Marksman Carbine for intermediate engagements and spotting, and used a deadly-sharp Dragon Claw in pony-to-pony engagements. After the loss of her dragon claw, she began carrying a Star Metal Sword. Currently, after the loss of the Star Metal Sword in Shadowbolt Tower during the Enclave Story Arc, she has no melee weaponry. After becoming a cyberpony, Blackjack has a much higher durability than most ponies. She can regenerate from damage via a talisman built into her body; her front hooves have built in robotic fingers, ideal for grabbing and holding objects; her replacement legs are also well balanced enough that she can walk bipedally and she can eat metal and gems to power and repair herself. She has undergone three surgeries involving her Cybernetics; the first gave her the original Cybernetic legs and organs, the second was an upgrade after Rover, Triage and Dr. Zodiac felt that the stealth model of legs were insufficient to handle her endeavors. During the events in Shadowbolt Tower, Blackjack was forced to undergo a third surgery using the 'Eclipse' Steel Pony plans and a specialized Auto-Doc. This greatly increased her durability, though has also substantially increased her weight, reducing the effectiveness of her teleportation. Also added to her new body were Cybernetic Wings, with ruby levitation talismans allowing flight, albeit horribly. Her new body, however impressive, drains power much more rapidly that her previous model, especially when in flight. A list of Blackjack's Perks can be found here. Equipment Weaponry Blackjack is an avid gun enthusiast. Her preferred primary weapon are shotguns (both pump-action and auto), however she has destroyed several due heavy use. She will frequently use Markspony or assault carbines for mid-range encounters when they are to hand. She has also picked up a veritable array of unique weapons, including: 'Duty' and 'Sacrifice' - A pair of heavy dueling Revolvers, formally owned by Prince Vanity that were found in Miramare air station. 'Trottenheimer's Folly' - An experimental gun produced by Project Starfall that exploits the energy released from a Moon Stone-Star Metal reaction. Folly is extremely powerful, but dangerous to use as it infuses it's user with some of the Taint suspended inside the rounds. When Blackjack used Folly to destroy The Celestia, it was flung it into the bay and was later found by Capricorn and Pisces Zodiac, who delivered it to the Harbingers (and Cognitum) as part of an earlier contract. 'Vigilance' - A family heirloom, passed down from the first security mare, Card Trick. Blackjack retrieves the pistol when she returns to Stable 99. Vigilance is her primary sidearm. The names of Card Trick's entire family line down to Blackjack are etched on the grip. Taurus' Rifle - A unique hunting rifle that once belonged to the Zodiac Taurus. Blackjack frequently uses it's scope to see far off enemies. She has since returned it to the family it came from, as a parting gift to the Highlander, Bluebell. Dragon Claw - An ancient fossilized bone of an ancient dragon, found within the Hoofington Natural history museum. The claw was destroyed by an Enclave beam weapon. Security Baton - Blackjack's primary weapon before leaving Stable 99. Cupcake's Revolver - a Revolver that once belonged to the Marauder Cupcake. It was dropped in the Hoofington river following a hallucination of the Dealer where she nearly shot Morning Glory in the head. Star Metal Sword - Blackjack wields a sword she picked up in the Hoofington Natural history museum on the second trip through. The sword is made of star metal and is capable of harming soul jars. The sword was lost when Blackjack nearly lost power mid flight and had to teleport herself and Boo the last 20 feet to the top of Shadow Bolt Tower. 'Penance' - An advanced, magically enchanted, prototype, M.W.T./M.A.S. sniper rifle once used by the Marauder Psalm; Blackjack acquires this weapon with Lacunae's help while en route to Maripony. Despite her admiration for the weapon, Blackjack uses it sparingly due to her preference for close-range combat. She has since returned the weapon to it's original owner. 'Sexy' (Big Macintosh's IF-88) - An advanced, prototype, assault shotgun that only saw very limited production at the end of the war. Early in her journey Blackjack became obsessed with the weapon after learning of it from an Ironshod Catalogue. She finally obtains one during her fifth visit to Miramare station from the Marauder's lockers. She named the weapon Sexy as it "Fuck's the enemy and leaves them a wreck" (prompting Scotch Tape to suggest naming it 'Blackjack' instead). Miscellaneous Octavia's Contrabass - A large stringed instrument she found, remarkably well-preserved, in Octavia's apartment in Flank. Blackjack demonstrated remarkable skill at playing it, which caused her to wonder if she had a hidden talent for music and whether her destiny and talent might have been different if she had grown up under different circumstances. It was later revealed that the instrument is a Soul Jar, and that Blackjack's apparent skill was due to "leakage" from Octavia's soul. Statuette Collection - Blackjack owns a complete set of statuettes. She had great difficulty in acquiring a Twilight Sparkle statuette, finding fake Twilight statuettes on more than one occasion. PipBucks - Blackjack started out wearing a standard PipBuck with an amber HUD. After her original was heavily damaged in a lightning strike, the Applebot replaced it with the blue HUDed Delta model; a prototype designed for the Shadowbolts that never saw mass production. The innards of this model would later be integrated with her cybernetics. Relationships P-21 - P-21 came from the same Stable as Blackjack, however he was one of the 40 males kept in the stable for "breeding" purposes while she was one of the security mares who were feared by the general populace. Their differing experiences in Stable 99, personal history together, as well as their personality clashes have raised tension between the two from the outset. Despite this, the two share a close love/hate relationship and have become inseparable as companions over time. Following her experiences aboard Thrush's ship when it was attacked by bandits, Blackjack was able to truly understand P-21's trauma and they have continued to grow ever closer after he granted her a measure of absolution for everything she did to him before leaving the stable. Morning Glory - Blackjack and Glory are in a close relationship. Blackjack found Glory hiding in a small hole under a terminal from raiders. She then tried to offer help to Glory, who slowly adjusted to following Blackjack around the wasteland. Before she knew it, Blackjack had subconsciously favored Glory in many situations. Glory asked Blackjack whether she felt the same "feeling" for her, who replied that she might not want to feel that way since she feared she may just be using Glory for sex. Eventually, Blackjack came to the conclusion that she loved Glory. Inevitably, they have had sexual intercourse during their adventures, which become kinkier over time, mostly because of Glory's sister Dusk's influence. Glory and Blackjack's relationship has endured many difficulties, such as Blackjack's attempt at suicide, the loss of one of her wings, Blackjack's sexual encounter with Stygius, the killing joke transforming her into a Rainbow Dash lookalike and her own confusion about her sexuality. Arloste 'Rampage' - During their first meeting, Rampage was ordered by Big Daddy to try to recruit Blackjack into the Reaper family, due to her heroic acts. Rampage eventually chose to follow Blackjack in her "stupid" adventures and they become close friends. Their relationship is sometimes strained by the fact that Rampage wants nothing more than to die, and Blackjack is unable to let this happen even when she has the means. When Rampage has a momentarily lapse of sanity, it is often Blackjack who must put several bullets into her skull to try and keep her from killing innocent ponies. Considering herself a "fellow monster" for all the mistakes and difficult decisions she has had to make in the Wasteland, Blackjack both fears and sympathizes with Rampage. Lacunae - Blackjack met Lacunae when she entered her newly acquired home in Chapel. Blackjack learned that Lacunae had been observing her for some time, explaining the mysterious figure Blackjack had sometimes seen following her. Lacunae is an Alicorn and a part of Unity; she acts as the Goddess's eyes and ears in Hoofington, and is there to make sure Blackjack fulfills her promises to the Goddess. Over time, the two have become close friends with Lacunae displaying an almost motherly affection towards her and the team, something which appears to irritate the Goddess. Scotch Tape - Blackjack initially encountered Scotch in the maintenance levels while searching for the missing P-21 before leaving the stable, and later rescued her from Stable 99 following a viral outbreak. As the child of the group Blackjack remains very concerned about her safety, though is willing to let the determined filly come along on adventures after enough persuading. After Blackjack revealed that she had Scotch's memories altered to spare her from the trauma of the Hoofington tunnels and to remove the revelation that P-21 is her father, her opinion of Blackjack notably soured. However, this did not last long given the lengths Blackjack went to to keep her safe on The Seahorse. The two continue to have a friendly relationship. Littlepip - Blackjack met Littlepip in the Tenpony Tower clinic while she was seeking treatment with Velvet Remedy, Calamity and Xenith after a failed attempt to negotiate with Red Eye. Being both unicorns from stables and leaders of dangerous groups seeking to make the wasteland a better place, Littlepip and Blackjack quickly become friendly with each other. With both unable to sleep that night and wanting to do something without endangering their friends, the two successfully infiltrated Red Eye's camp where Littlepip convinces Red Eye to lend her the Balefire Bomb. Blackjack then helped Littlepip in an addicted state (at Littlepip's request) to destroy her last PTMs. They also shared a kiss in the heat of the moment; an act which Homage discovers but forgives Littlepip for (though she later gets revenge on Blackjack by kissing Glory, much to their amusement). Littlepip does not remember Blackjack after she removes her memories to deal with the Goddess. Boo - Blackjack discovered Boo (a "Blank" earth pony clone with little more than animal intelligence) in the halls of the Project Chimera facility under Hoofington. Despite her initial confusion towards the strange mare, Blackjack quickly befriended her through the use of snack cakes and protected her as they journeyed through the facility. While she deeply worries for the Blank's safety, Boo does not like being separated from Blackjack for extended periods of time and follows her like a loyal pet. Despite being told otherwise, Blackjack is certain that Boo is a real pony and shows great interest in her emerging intelligence. Notes & Trivia *Blackjack has collected all 6 statuettes of the Ministry Mares. *Blackjack kept finding fake Twilight Sparkle statuettes, which became a running gag. *Blackjack is a direct descendant of one of the six Ministry Mares, specifically Twilight Sparkle, whose child she had with Big Macintosh was carried by Marigold as a surrogate following Macintosh's death. * Blackjack is a distant cousin of the ruling family of The Society, and is also proven to have Apple family ancestry with Big Macintosh; making her a very distant cousin of both Littlepip and Velvet Remedy (whom are both descendants of Applejack). *Blackjack currently leads a large party of wastelanders, pets, and occasional "guest stars". There is a running gag that party members are not considered official until they have shot, stabbed, kicked, blown up, or otherwise injured Blackjack, whether deliberately or by accident. **This could possibly be a pun. In the card game "Blackjack", new cards are gained by saying the phrase "Hit me". In the same way, Blackjack cannot gain a party member until receiving a "hit". *Another running gag is Blackjack's ignorance that Littlepip is the famed Stable Dweller. * Yet another running gag is Blackjack's insistence that her smaller-than-average horn is merely "compact". * When P-21 and Scotch Tape reveal the true nature of relationships in Stable 99 to Glory, Blackjack admits she has had sex with Scotch Tape's Mother, Duct Tape, at least a dozen times. * Blackjack has had two boats dropped on her in her time in Hoofington - three if you count an airship. * Despite her ineptitude with magic, her family has a history of natural magical talent, with her mother being a master of her security spells and at least two of her stable-dwelling ancestors having learned teleportation, along with her biological ancestor Twilight being both the former pupil of Princess Celestia and the Ministry Mare in charge of Arcane Science. * Blackjack has a taste for disgusting food, having a fondness for rad-away, hangover cures and being the only member of the team who can stomach Glory's cooking. * As with all mares from Stable 99 with a living mother, Blackjack has a copper contraceptive implant, as part of the Stable's population control measures. Gallery Click images for full view. Category:Project Horizons Main Characters Category:Unicorns Category:Characters Category:Crusaders (Project Horizons) Category:Project Horizons Category:Reapers (Project Horizons) Category:Cyborgs